### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew root `{{H2959}}` (ṭârach) is a primitive verb whose core meaning centers on the concept of being weighed down or experiencing excessive strain. The primary sense is "to overburden," implying a load or responsibility that exceeds one's capacity to bear. This leads directly to the secondary meaning, "weary," which describes the resulting state of exhaustion, fatigue, or being worn out. The weariness conveyed by `{{H2959}}` is not merely physical tiredness but often encompasses a sense of being mentally or emotionally burdened to the point of distress or aversion. It signifies a state of being utterly fed up or oppressed by a difficult situation or task.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verbal root `{{H2959}}` (ṭârach) appears only once in the entire Masoretic Text, making its single occurrence exceptionally significant. This solitary instance is found in [[Isaiah 1:14]], where the Lord declares, "Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them." The form used is the Piel, אִיעַף (ʾîʿap̄), which intensifies the action, conveying a strong sense of being burdened or wearied.
The context of [[Isaiah 1:14]] is crucial. God is issuing a strong indictment against the people of Judah for their spiritual apostasy and social injustice, despite their diligent observance of religious rituals. They meticulously perform sacrifices and celebrate feasts, but their hearts are far from God, and their hands are full of sin (cf. [[Isaiah 1:15-17]]). In this passage, `{{H2959}}` expresses God's profound aversion and exasperation with their hypocritical worship. It is not that God is physically tired, but rather that His holy nature is profoundly offended and "burdened" by the insincerity, emptiness, and moral corruption that underpin their outward religious performances. Their rituals, devoid of true righteousness, have become an unbearable weight to Him.
### Related Words & Concepts
While `{{H2959}}` is unique in its singular occurrence, its semantic field connects it to several related Hebrew concepts:
* **Burden/Weight:** Words such as מַשָּׂא (`{{H4853}}`, burden, load) or כָּבֵד (`{{H3513}}`, heavy, weighty) share a conceptual link. However, `{{H2959}}` specifically denotes the *experience* of being burdened or the *act* of overburdening, rather than the burden itself.
* **Toil/Labor/Weariness:** Other verbs expressing weariness or arduous effort include יָגַע (`{{H3021}}`, to toil, be weary) and עָמַל (`{{H5998}}`, to labor, travail, suffer hardship). While overlapping in the resultant state of weariness, `{{H2959}}` distinctively emphasizes the *overwhelming* nature of the burden that leads to such weariness, particularly in a context of divine disapproval.
* **Divine Grief/Displeasure:** The use of `{{H2959}}` in [[Isaiah 1:14]] resonates with other passages that describe God's emotional responses to human sin, such as His "grief" or "regret" (e.g., נָחַם, `{{H5162}}` in [[Genesis 6:6]]) or His "displeasure" (e.g., קָצַף, `{{H7107}}`, to be angry). `{{H2959}}` adds the unique dimension of being "weighed down" by the sheer burden of human unrighteousness and insincere devotion.
### Theological Significance
The singular use of `{{H2959}}` in [[Isaiah 1:14]] carries profound theological weight. It offers a rare and powerful anthropomorphic portrayal of God experiencing a form of "weariness" or "burden" due to human sin. This is not a weariness born of finite physical limitations, but rather a divine weariness stemming from His infinite holiness and justice being affronted by hypocrisy and unrighteousness.
This passage underscores several critical theological truths:
1. **God's Active Engagement:** God is not a detached deity but is intimately involved and deeply affected by the moral and spiritual state of His people.
2. **The Folly of Empty Ritual:** Outward religious observance, no matter how meticulously performed, is an abomination to God if it is not accompanied by genuine repentance, righteousness, and a heart devoted to Him. God desires truth in the inward parts, not mere external show.
3. **The Burden of Sin:** Sin, especially the sin of religious hypocrisy, is not merely an abstract offense; it imposes a real, unbearable "burden" upon the holy God. It signifies His profound disappointment and righteous indignation.
4. **Divine Holiness:** The fact that God is "wearied" by unholy practices highlights His absolute holiness and His inability to tolerate anything that defiles His character or mocks His commands.
### Summary
The Hebrew root `{{H2959}}` (ṭârach) is a primitive verb meaning "to overburden" or "to weary." Its singular, yet highly impactful, appearance in [[Isaiah 1:14]] reveals a unique facet of divine emotion. In this passage, God expresses being "wearied" or "burdened" by the insincere and hypocritical religious practices of His people. This divine weariness is not a physical exhaustion but a profound spiritual and ethical aversion born of His holiness and justice being affronted by empty rituals devoid of genuine righteousness. The word thus serves as a powerful theological statement, emphasizing God's active engagement with humanity, the futility of outward religious observance without inward transformation, and the weighty offense that human sin and hypocrisy inflict upon the divine heart.
TRV